The Aging in Place PARTNERSHIP is working with an architectural firm to plan an arts-centered, elder-friendly suburban community to be located in Central Jersey. This mixed use development will be close to public transportation, and it is also projected to include “affordable housing” units for income-appropriate buyers or renters.

If you would potentially be interested in living in a community created for, but not limited to, arts makers and arts lovers, please complete this survey to help inform planners in setting priorities. Deadline: August 31, 2012.

ArtPride is only as strong as our supporters, so your Facebook “like” really does count. We keep you posted on arts funding action alerts, updates for the field, and ways to get involved, so the more “likers” we have, the bigger the voice for the arts in New Jersey.

How can you help spread the word? So glad you asked! ArtPride will be hosting the 3rd Annual Facebook Friends Gallery exhibition at our home, the Lyceum Hall Center for the Arts in Burlington City, and we want to see you and your artwork there. Our past two exhibits have helped us and you make new friends, and who doesn’t like a FREE opportunity to show and see exciting art?

We are seeking visual artists to submit 3-5 two-dimensional pieces to be exhibited August 16 through September 13. Please share our page with your friends to spread the word about ArtPride’s Facebook page and the upcoming exhibition! If you can’t find the right words, Mr. Dali is here to help:

ELIGIBILITY: Open to current residents of New Jersey who are “likers” of the Art Pride Facebook page (“like” us now by clicking HERE.) Selected artists must be available for our social networking opening reception on Thursday, August 16 from 7-9pm and we request that you bring at least 5 friends to the event. Artists must also be available to pick up their work the week of September 17.

SUBMISSION DEADLINE: Thursday, July 19. Artists will be notified of selection on Friday, July 20, and will be asked to drop off their work the following week.

SUBMISSION GUIDELINES:
*Send digital images of submissions to madelineorton@artpridenj.com or hard copy photos of original work to Art Pride NJ, 432 High Street, Burlington, NJ 08016. Each digital image must be saved in JPEG format, sized at a resolution of 72 dpi. (If selected for the exhibition, you will be requested to submit a higher resolution image for possible use in advertising.) All two-dimensional media is welcome.
*Submission should include 3-5 pieces and provide the following information: title of work, medium and dimensions.
*Include a brief artist bio (3-5 sentences) and headshot or fun personal photograph.
*Work must be ready to hang and include standard gallery hanging hardware.

The first ever state-wide Discover Jersey Arts conference was a sold out success! Thank you to all the attendees, speakers, sponsors, and staff who made this event happen.

For the third time, we asked people attending an event to bring the conversation from in-person to online, and boy, did they ever! Our multi-tasking tweeple (Twitter people) took to their smartphones, laptops, and tablets to bring the takeaways from the conference to the twitterverse. This continues to be a great way to engage people who couldn’t attend (from New Jersey to California to Canada!) and create an additional platform for conversation. In fact, the combined reach of our tweeters extended to over 15,000 followers!

Want to go, but not sure you can participate? Here are some helpful tips. As always, feel free to reach out to us directly with any questions at artpride@artpridenj.com or (609) 479-3377 ext. 305.

FAQs on Arts Advocacy Day:

I can’t attend both days. Which one should I choose? Tuesday. While we recommend attending both days to participate in Americans for the Arts’ advocate training and Nancy Hanks Lecture on Monday, April 16, we have had attendees arrive in Washington on Monday evening or Tuesday morning to participate in Tuesday’s legislative visits.

Are there ways to save money on the trip? Yes. Register byMarch 30 for the early registration rate. Additionally, you can save on housing by sharing a hotel room or staying with a friend in the area. We also recommend carpooling and public transportation. Round-trip tickets from Newark, Philadelphia and New York can be as low as $30 through some of the major bus companies like Bolt Bus and Megabus.

Am I allowed to advocate?Absolutely. Organizations that receive NJSCA or NEA funding are allowed to spend up to 25% of their budget on advocacy. Additionally, even if you are not the spokesperson for your organization, we encourage you to attend as a private citizen. This is a great opportunity for students and emerging arts leaders to take on a leadership role and learn more about this important aspect of the nonprofit arts field.

The newest representatives to New Jersey’s State Legislature were sworn in earlier this month, so this is a great time to reach out to your State Assembly Members and Senators. ArtPride NJ works to educate lawmakers about the key role the non-profit arts industry plays in New Jersey, and we look forward to meeting with our legislators to share our stories.

ArtPride NJ’s Legislative District Teams—comprised of arts workers, business leaders, health professionals, teachers, students, and more—do an amazing job of making their case! These arts advocates come together to educate their district representatives about the impact the arts have on our economy, our schools, and our hometowns, and their efforts are invaluable. If you are interested in joining a Legislative District Team, we would love to have you with us! Email your name, address, and why you are interested in joining to: madelineorton@artpridenj.com. Show your support by being an advocate for the arts!